Pelargonium plant named ‘Fipelpopwhi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Pelargonium  plant named ‘Fipelpopwhi’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; rounded plant habit; relatively small dark green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; semi-double white-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIPELPOPWHI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPelargonium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum,commercially referred to as Zonal Geranium and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Fipelpopwhi’.

The new Pelargonium plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new compact and freely-floweringPelargonium plants that flower early and have attractive leaf and flowercoloration.

The new Pelargonium plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in September, 2006 in De Lier, The Netherlands of aproprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number60005, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 88878, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Pelargonium plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands, in March, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Pelargonium plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, TheNetherlands, since July, 2007 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Pelargonium plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Pelargonium have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fipelpopwhi’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Fipelpopwhi’ as a new and distinct Pelargoniumplant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly spreading growth habit;        rounded plant habit.    -   2. Relatively small dark green-colored leaves.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Semi-double white-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in plant size as plants of the new Pelargonium are morecompact than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in plant size as plants of the new Pelargonium are morecompact than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Pelargonium can be compared to plants ofPelargonium×hortorum ‘Merisnow’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.11,024. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, TheNetherlands, plants of the new Pelargonium differed primarily fromplants of ‘Merisnow’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Pelargonium were more uniform in plant        shape than plants of ‘Merisnow’.    -   2. Plants of the new Pelargonium had more rounded flower petals        than plants of ‘Merisnow’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Pelargonium plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Pelargonium plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical floweringplants of ‘Fipelpopwhi’ grown in a six-pack container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 9-cm six-packcontainers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands andunder environmental conditions and cultural practices which closelyapproximate commercial Pelargonium production. During the production ofthe plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 28° C. and nighttemperatures ranged from 14° C. to 18° C. Plants were eight weeks oldwhen the photograph and the description were taken. In the detaileddescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum ‘Fipelpopwhi’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 60005, not            patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 88878, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at            temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at            temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 16 days            at temperatures of 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About three            weeks at temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; greyed white            in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching, medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and habit.—Compact, upright and outwardly            spreading growth habit; rounded and uniformly mounded plant            habit; densely foliated; about two basal branches developing            per plant.        -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 17 cm.        -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 10 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 15 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 2 cm to 5 cm. Diameter:            About 2.5 mm. Internode length: About 0.5 cm to 2 cm.            Texture: Pubescent. Strength: Moderately strong. Color:            Close to 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.        -   Length.—About 4 cm.        -   Width.—About 6 cm.        -   Shape.—Reniform.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Pubescent; pubescence more dense            along venation.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,            close to N137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 146C. Zonation pattern:            Location: Center of the leaf. Color: Darker than 147A.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 146B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Semi-double rotate flowers arranged in            rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils;            umbels displayed above the foliage on strong peduncles;            flowers face upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 58            flowers develop per umbel and about four umbels develop per            plant.        -   Flowering season.—In The Netherlands, flowering is            continuous from late spring until frost in the autumn; early            flowering habit, plants begin flowering about six to eight            weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Depending on environmental conditions,            individual flowers last about 2 to 14 days on the plant;            flowers persistent.        -   Umbel height.—About 5 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 7 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Shape: Globular to elliptical. Color: Close to 146B.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About six to eight. Length:            About 2.5 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Spatulate to            obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper            surface: Close to NN155C. When opening and fully opened,            lower surface: Close to NN155C; central stripe, close to            193D.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About one or two. Length:            About 1 cm to 2 cm. Width: About 2 mm to 10 mm. Shape:            Irregularly shaped or obovate to irregularly oblanceolate.            Apex: Irregular. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color:            When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to            NN155C. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close            to NN155C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate/ovate to acicular. Apex: Acute. Base: Lobate to            truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Densely pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            146B.        -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About            4 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Erect to about 30° C. from            vertical. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.        -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.2 cm to            2.4 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong.            Angle: Erect to about 60° C. from vertical. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About six to eight. Filament length: About 3 mm to 6 mm.            Filament color: Close to 155D. Anther length: About 2 mm to            3 mm. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to 39B.            Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 33B.            Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:            About 8 mm. Stigma shape: Tapering; reflexed. Stigma color:            Close to 144D. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close            to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 146C.        -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been            observed on plants of the new Pelargonium.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Pelargoniums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have been observed    to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to    about 45° C. and have demonstrated good garden performance.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Pelargonium plant named‘Fipelpopwhi’ as illustrated and described.